We had the powerful impact of technology in the form of both social media and groups such as WikiLeaks.

Questions were raised as to whether one candidate might get indicted during the campaign.

The mainstream media was the center of acrimonious debate, with many of its members dismissed as blatant propaganda outlets. Hence the term, “fake news.”

In spite of all of this, we did have an election which did reflect the will of the people. Yet the controversy will not die down.

Part of this is designed to hamper the president’s agenda, and part of it is the venomous nature of Hillary Clinton’s personality, and her persistent sulking over the result of an election for which she refuses to take any responsibility.

And one issue at the center of this election was the impact of electronic media:

Not only that, but allegations of wiretapping, primarily by the Trump campaign, have riled emotions on both sides of the debate. Remember this?

Terrible! Just found out that Obama had my “wires tapped” in Trump Tower just before the victory. Nothing found. This is McCarthyism!

“U.S. investigators wiretapped President Trump’s campaign chairman Paul Manafort, according to a report by CNN that vindicates the president’s earlier claims, which were mocked as a conspiracy theory.“

CNN attacked the president’s accusations at the time:

“CNN itself at the time called the idea that Trump was wiretapped ‘incendiary.’

“But a report Monday evening said U.S. investigators obtained a surveillance warrant on Manafort from a secret court and had monitored him before and after the election, including a ‘period when Manafort was known to talk to President Donald Trump.’

“The report said the secret court that handles the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act had authorized a surveillance warrant against Manafort for an investigation that began in 2014, looking into his firm, the Podesta Group, and another firm’s lobbying work for Ukraine’s pro-Russian former ruling party.”

STORY CONTINUES BELOW…

So, CNN’s attacks on Mr. Trump were not only premature, but without foundation.

Fine journalism from an organization that would like to be thought of as the pinnacle of American journalistic excellence.

“‘The surveillance was discontinued at some point last year for lack of evidence,’ a source told CNN.

“However, the FBI then restarted the surveillance after obtaining a new FISA warrant that extended early into this year.

The report notably does not say when the new warrant was obtained. Manafort joined the Trump campaign as its chairman in May 2016.”

Is CNN “Fake News,” or does the organization just select and report news consistent with its political agenda.